Finger-exercising machine



Oct. 16, 1928;

J. V. JUGO FINGER EXERC I S ING' MACHINE Filed March 4, 1926 machineaccording to the invention with an 'tained. the fingers are caused torest or press Patented @ct. 16, 1928.

; 1,688,! ,ATENT OFFICE.

JOSE VICTOR JUGO, OF BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA.

FINGER-EXERCISING MACHINE.'

Application filed March a, race. Serial No. 92,188.

This invention relates generally to exercise machines for thedevelopment of the human body and 111 particular to a machine orinstrumentalit for develo 3111 the fin ers] and increasing the strength,lightness and quickness of the opflfiion of a pianists fingers.I-Ieretofore it has been necessary for a pianist to spend hourspracticingfinger exercise on the piano in the development of touch andgreater facility and dexterity. The present invention seeks tosubstitute a mechanical device which shall be more efficient andexpeditions in the results at- In accordance with the invention downupon supports which are given a reciprocal movement so that each fingeris moved in substantially the sameinanner as that in playing fingerexercises, but'to an exaggerated degree and with greater rapidity. Thisis preferably accomplished by motor driven actuating mechanism which maybe caused to selectively reciprocate the supports in the desiredsequence.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readilycarried into effect,

the same will now bedescribed more fully with reference to theaccompanying drawings" illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof, inwhich:

Figure 1 1s a view showing the exercise electric motor as the primemover whereby thespeed of operation of the machine may be varied to suitconditions of the user.

Figure 2 is a transverse view taken in the plane indicated by the line22 in Fig. 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows and showing oneof the instrumentalities by which a finger is manipulated;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view, taken in the plane indicated bythe line 8-3 in Fig. 2, and looking in the direction of the arrows andshowing details of the structure by which selective reciprocation of thefinger supports is attained.

It is sought by the present invention to obtain a movement of thefingers similar to that in playing finger exercises on the piano, but toan exaggerated" degree and with greater rapidity, as it is wellunderstood that the movement or exercise of any muscle of the body sodevelops the control thereof as to enable in time the acquisition of agreater faculty for the desired movement.

of development versa.

each finger and thumb on two hands, ten

in all, are indicated at a 3, a a, a (LG, a a3, a, a upon which thefingers are to be rested or to be pressed down upon. These supports aregiven a reciprocal movement in a vertical directionby mounting them upon"spindles or rods Z) slidable in bearings and formed upon individualbrackets C The supports are preferably elongated as shown and rotatableabout the rods 6 and in which adjust-ed position they are secured by setscrew a so that they may be adjusted to assume various positions withrespect to one another to conveniently receive the fingers in normallyextended fashion. l Vhile various mechanical movements may be availed ofto cause the reciprocation of the spindles, it has been found convenientto utilize eccentric motion effected by a cam or eccentric (Z for eachspindle loosely mounted upon a shaft 6 journalled in the brackets c andadapted to reciprocate the spindles by means of an annulus (f) freelymovable about the eccentrically mounted circular disc (cl) andpivot-ally connected as at f to the spindle 0). lrovision is then madefor causing the rotation ofthe disc or discs with the This is effectedby, say, a clutching shaft. element splined on the shaft as at g andadapted to be moved into and out of engagement with the cooperatingclutching element d on the disc (0?) by a bifurcated lever (It) whichmay be pivoted for convenience upon a transversely extending bar In theillustrated embodiment ten such reciprocating instrumentalities andtheir as sociated clutching devices are shown disposed along the shaft(6) and the shaft is illustrated as being rotated through suitablegearing, (j, 7c) from a motor (Z) carried for convenience upon the base(m) to which the ten standards 0 are secured.

In practice, as will be understood, it is desirable to causea movementof the fingers in succession or in various combinations. For instance,in one exercise the thumb, middle and little fingers would be caused tostrike the keys together, while the index and third or ring finger israised and vice To effect such movement, the following may he followedin setting the machine. First, all the discs cl are unclutched from theshaft (6). The discs are then turnedso that thefcam portions controllingthe movement of supports 09, a a, a a, are on the lower side of theshaft. The

rings of course, turn with respect'to the discs, but move downwardlyrelative to the shaft to cause the said supports to assume thislowermost position. Supports a say a foot pedal not shown to which thechain n is connected.

By the construction described, a particularly effective machine isprovided for developing the manipulation of the fingers ano increasingtheir dexterity by constrained movements of the fingers to anexaggerated and rapid degree. I

It is to be understood that the invention in its broadest aspects is notto be deemed limited to the precise instrumentality illustrated forcauslng elevation and depression of the supports, but that variousmechanical movements may be availed of and other prime movers usedwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as setforth in the appended claims.

I claim: V

1. In an exercise machine, in combination, a plurality of fingersupports, vertical reciprocating rods upon which thes'upports arecarried, a rotative shaft, a plurality of circularfdiscs eccentricallymountedupon.

the shaft, annular members within which the discs are disposed pivotallyconnected with the rods, clutching devices between the shaft and thediscs, means to rotate the shaft (and means to control the rotation ofthe shaft.

2. In an exercise machine, in combination, a plurality of supports, armsupon which the supports are carried, a rotatable shaft transverse to thearms, eccentric devices carried with the shaft and selectively actuatingthe arms and clutching mechanism between the eccentric devices and theshaft.

8. In an exercise machine, in combination, a plurality of supports,vertical rods upon which the supports are carried, a rotatable shafttransverse to the rods, eccentrics carried loosely with the shaft,operative connections between the eccentrics and the rods and clutchingmechanism between the eccentrics and the shaft; j

4. In a finger exercising machine, the combination of a finger supportmounted for reciprocating movement, a power shaft mounted for rotarymovement, power trans- -1Illttil1 ,111Gt11S between the shaft and'su)ort for translating the rotary movement of the shaft into reclprocatorymovement of the supports, said means including a manually actuatedclutch for controlling the driving connection between the support andshaft,

5. In a linger exercising machine, in combination of an upstanding rodmounted for vertical reciprocatory movement, an elongated finger supportmounted at the top of said rod and adapted to be-rotated about the axisof said rod and a set screw for securing the finger support in adjustedposition on theroc. g

6. In a finger exercising machine, the combination with a driving shaft,of a plurality of rods each mounted for vertical reciprocatory movementdisposed in linein a vertical plane and each rod'provlde'd with a fingersupport, a plurality of driving connections between the shaft and therods, each of said connections including means for translating therotary movement of the shaft into reciprocatory movement of the rods andassociated: supports and said'means including adjustable parts forvarying the relation between the shaft and any one of the rods wherebyany 8 number of the rods may be adjusted vertically into differentpositions relative to each other and thus cause certain of the fingersupports to be 1 descending n different relative positions while othersare ascending when actuated by theshaft. i

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of of March A.D. 1926. r,

7 JOSE VICTORJJUGO.

New York this third day

